Budgie Hen in Distress

[cindy]

Don't be to hard on yourself, there is no way you can know for sure what is happening internally with birds. The best thing for her is warmth, a break from the male, calcium. Keep a close eye on the droppings for signs of blood. You are doing all you can for her as difficult as this is.

She most likely needs an oral antibiotic since her internal organ was exposed to the outside. Try calling ladygouldian.com and ask her opinion on which would be best in this case, double check the amount of calcium for a budgie also.

Keep us posted.

[debbie276]

http://fatfinch.wordpress.com/2007/08/2 ... x-part-ii/

When the breeding season is upon them, female birds’ ovaries enlarge as do male testes. The males produce sperm which travels from their internal testes (more streamlined arrangement than mammalian external male gonads) to the male cloaca which then is extruded from the bird’s body and swells with semen. After whatever breeding rituals particular to its species, the male mounts the female and pushes his cloaca against hers. In a matter of seconds the semen is transferred by this touch, known as a “cloaca kiss.” With the possible exception of some papillaries which may actually reach inside the outer edge of the female cloaca, no penetration takes place. In fact, birds really don’t copulate; they inseminate.

[Sally]

Sorry, I'm just catching up with this thread. This may not be of help now, but if the prolapse recurs, I read about this treatment on the NFSS forum from Roy Beckham. Using a Q-tip dipped in Visine, gently push the cloaca back inside, twisting the Q-tip as you remove it. If you don't have Visine, use sterile saline solution for contacts. The Visine has a constrictor, which helps reduce swelling. Then heat, rest, and an antibiotic in case of infection.

[Nerien]

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[DanteD716]

Im glad she is still alive and keep us posted!

Debbie and Cindy, I have read that it can happen from mating. If not then sorry for saying it

[cindy]

The bearing down to pass droppings and an egg if the muscles are weakened can push the organ out causing prolapse.

in most cases the way prolapse happens is as this article states

http://theparakeethaus.webs.com/budgiebreeding.htm

*Uterine prolapse is a when a hen doesn't have enough calcium and energy to push an egg out. Her cloaca (which is meant to be inside her body) then comes out. This is more common is hens that are too young or too old to breed or are not in proper condition.


http://www.birds-online.de/gesundheit/g ... not_en.htm


There is a behavioral prolapse often seen in males more so than females (often lone males will favor objects like certain toys (seen this behavior in certain hookbill males), hens can do this as well but it is often males):

http://veterinarycalendar.dvm360.com/av ... =&pageID=2

"Behavioral prolapse of the cloaca is most common in cockatoos and other Old World psittacines; males are more often affected than females. It is often associated with reduced sphincter tone, and affected birds typically show obvious sexual behavior towards and individual or individuals. These prolapses may be chronic, and cloacitis is a common secondary finding. Although prolapsed cloacal tissue may be inflamed, it will appear red, smooth, and rounded like a ball; rectal or urogenital orifices may be identifiable on the prolapse surface. A cotton-tipped applicator cannot be placed between a prolapsed cloaca and the vent sphincter; there is no space in this region with prolapse of the cloaca."

[Nerien]

Cleaned her up again, and pushed it back inside. It's smaller each time. As soon as I got her back in the cage, she made a huge poop and pushed it back out. So straight back to the sink to rinse off and redo.

Only this time, after rinsing in warm running water, when I started to rinse with the sterile saline solution, she clenched and pulled it back in herself!

So, at the moment she's clear of poop, back in place, sitting under the heat lamp. Obviously not healthy, but not looking so sickly that you think death is imminent. And she still has a lot of strength and fight and bite in her, she does not submit easily when I handle her.

@30 seconds to Bob thanks for the suggestion. That Petsmart/New London is several hours away, our closest is actually in New York, still an hour away. But I started calling the local stores, and that horrid little Petland that is within reasonable distance has Ornacyn on hand. So when hubby gets home, we will go get it. I never would have thought that a local chain store would carry bird antibiotics.

Will be calling Laraine to see about getting something better, if nothing else to have on hand for future need.

[finchmix22]

Sounds much better. I wonder if the saline, since it helps with swelling, stings a bit? At least, she is reacting and showing a fighter spirit.

[DanteD716]

Hoping she keeps fighting. Keep is posted

[Ginene]

Nerien
Oh No, Ruth...I just saw what's happening now. I'm so sorry for all that you and your sweet girl are going through. It sounds like she is improving. Sending you hugs and prayers .

[30 Seconds to Bob]

If you do use the ornacyn, add a little honey to it as it tastes terrible. I add sublingual B12 and calciboost (both very sweet) to make it more palatable and both are useful additives in the recovery. Use it as the only water source but don't rely on the bird's just drinking it to ingest enough. Squirt a little in her mouth with an eyedropper twice daily. Good luck and I hope that you can save her. And as Cindy mentioned, don't be too hard on yourself if you can't. Bob

[Nerien]

The stuff I got is "Ornacycline (tetracycline for birds) by Sentry AV. It says it is flavored orange. It comes in packets, add one to 8 ounces of water. Is this the same stuff you use?

Actually, it says for small birds like Canaries, use one packet per 8 ounces of water, for larger birds like Minah birds, use 2 packets per 8 ounces of water. I am assuming a thin parakeet is more like a canary than a Mynah bird. Correct?

She is looking better. Not sitting under the heat lamp anymore. Bottom was still clean-ish last I looked, and before that I saw her strain to poop, looked like it pushed out, but then went back in when she stopped. The whole lower belly area doesn't look so swollen anymore, either. So the prolapse situation looks like it's improving. (cross your fingers....)

Put the medicine-water in her water bowl, but don't know for sure if/when she drinks. Was wondering if I should dropper some into her, hate to put her through the stress, but she's gotta drink the medicine. She did eat some seed sometime during the day, there were hulls in the bowl.

Have been so worried, I didn't even think to put a spray of millet in there with her, will do that now. As soon as I find a dropper, medicate her, I'll offer millet so she maybe forgives me.

Thank you all for all the help. I know she's by no means out of the woods yet, but she isn't dead, either, and doesn't look closer to death than she did yesterday, so I guess we're doing good for her.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Ornacycline is tetracycline, ornacyn is erythromycin. Similar, but different antibiotics. I still like to sweeten it up a bit with honey because it probablly tastes pretty bad, too. Taste it. And I would still squirt some in her beak twice daily, at least initially to get some in her system. Good luck. Bob

[DanteD716]

good job Ruth, glad shes improving. I hope it continues, and good luck medicating her

[Nerien]

The ornacycline was the only thing they had. And only the one package of it. Hope it is okay, it says for respiratory and intestinal infections.

I tasted it, and really didn't taste much of anything.

Lily made it very hard for me to catch her, and did her darndest to get free of my hand. She objected to having to drink the medicine, but then she was objecting to the whole process anyway.

When I left her on a perch, she was moving her mouth and tongue like "Yuck. Aftertaste." so if I find we have some honey, I'll add a few drops, otherwise, is a pinch of sugar okay?

Clipped up a big sprig of millet, she was eyeing it suspiciously when I left the room, guess she doesn't much trust me right now (oh gee, why? because I've been netting you, running your backside under the faucet, then poking it in with a q-tip, and shoving calcium and now medicine in your beak?)

Do you, or anyone, know--the ornacycline instructions say to mix up a fresh batch each day. But I mixed it up in a small water bottle, and have the extra in the fridge. Can I continue to use it, as it is refrigerated, or do I really have to make new each day? This is the only box of this medicine in this region. Once I use all 8 packs, that's it.